Evolution of Civil War Weapons
The American Civil War brought many changes, especially in weaponry. On the battle field, officers sought to improve warfare strategies. At home, politicians attempted to reshape the political view of the war. Finally, in the industries, engineers worked to improve the performance and cost of the weapons they wished to sell to their respective government. Weapon changes occurred in two basic areas: firearms (also known as small arms, which are anything that can be carried by a soldier), and cannons/projectiles (artillery). Sword and bayonets, though were important, saw little action in the war. The relative importance of sound weaponry resulted in an accelerated evolution of weapons that sparked the dawn of modern warfare. Firearms were perhaps the most basic unit of weaponry used in the civil war. There are five general categories of firearms used in the civil war: musket, smoothbore musket, musket rifle, carbine, and the revolver. Loading and firing these weapons, one of the most important lessons a soldier could learn, consisted of many steps: prepare to load, load, handle, tear and charge cartridge, draw rammer and ram cartridge, prime, shoulder arms, and fire. These firearms were usually
Mortars were stubby weapons which fired heavy projectiles in a high arc. During the American Civil War, more varieties of cannons and projectiles were used then in any time in military history. Since most crews could fire two rounds each minute, the enemy troop's advancement was weakened. Both were usually designated by the year in which a particular model was designed or improved. A gun was long-barreled heavy weapon that fired solid shot at long range with a low degree of elevation using a large powder charge. The outbreak of hostilities in 1861, found inventors on both sides searching for the perfect blend of sabot and shell body to create the artillery projectile that would give the military advantage (Bartleson, 3). Numerous designs appeared early in the war, and close to 20 different types were eventually adopted by the Federal forces. Although many types of artillery can be classified into this group, there are some significant differences between guns and howitzers. A musket in good condition was fairly accurate when firing at a block of men, no farther then 100 yards. As the warfare became more modern during the Civil War, the need for ancient weapons such as the sword and bayonet shifted down in relative importance. The confederation couldn't hope to match the rapid firepower of these weapons yet both sides were evenly matched in the case of revolvers. Troops preparing to approach enemy mortars were psychologically hindered. Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. Guns and howitzers were the most typical Civil War artillery. 44 caliber six shot revolvers for the union and the confederacy.
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